St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1887-02-05
THE CARE OF THE EYES.
q Few Simple Rules Which An
Should Follow.

~AApA0 kSul0S WQlCn AL
Should Follow.
l. THE HYGIENE OF THE EYES.
What l have to say on this subject
may be reduced to half a dozen rules
none OF them hard to follow, unless i.
DC the last Of them but one.
l. My first rule is, in reading, have
light enough for easy vision. How
much light is enough? How much is
TOO much? These are questions for the
individual. No two persons require
the same brightness upon the page.
Some eyes are timid of light, and can
stand but little of it, while vet they
may be depended on for a good many
hours work in the day and for a good
many years service. Strong ewes,
those that will bear the glare, are not
lnfrequently those that run the greatest
risk of abuse; just as the persons who
have excellent digestions or great 9th
letlc powers are constantly tempted to
Over-exercise them and to break them
down, while weaker persons who take
care OF themselves will Outlast the
strong. Comfort in reading is the
main criterion.
The main temptation is to strain the
eyes in reading when the light is in
sufficient This must be strcnuously
resisted if the retina is to he kept in
good working order. Less light is re-
4uired in writing than in reading, be-
cause the trained movements of the
hand are in large part automatic, and
in a considerable degree independent Of
the eyesight; the experience Of the
blind shows how easily they may
he made entirely Independent.
But it is precisely the experience of
the blind that we wish, in our own per-
sons, to avoid. Let us. therefore, allow
ourselves quite enough light in every
case; more in reading. less, if need be
in writing; but enough in each and
every case. In a mountain camp, bv a
tallow candle, you might well enough
write a letter without straining YOUR
eyesight; while it might fatigue your
eyes to read the same letter after you
had written it.
2. Either in reading or writing, the
direction of the light is important. 1t
will not do to read against the light,
j. e., with the light in your face, be-
cause then the direct glare contends
upon the retina with the fainter image
Of the object. The light should fall
from behind; and there is a choice as
to which side. At least in writing. it
should come from behind the left shoul-
der, because then the shadow of the
hand falls away from the pen
instead of upon it. Every writer
does not know this. or at least does not
bear it in mind. knew a literary man
who had written prose and poetry all
his life, and who was in the habit, until
/ showed him his mistake, of letting the |
light fall from his right shoulder-in
this case the wrong shoulder-upon his |
paper: he had sat in his own light for |
thirty wears. 1t must have affected the |
quality Of his poetry. In reading. un-
less your eyes are protected by a shade |
-and shade is an excellent thing
let the daylight or the candle-light fall |
upon your page from behind. whenever |
Won can conveniently manageit, by turn
ing YOUR chair or by choosing the posi- |
tion Of the lamp. Nothingis more try
ing than reading against the glare. un-
less it be reading by the twilight
a great temptation to some enthusiastic
students.
s. When the sunlight fails, do not de-
mend upon the twilight, and do not
combine gas-light or lamp-light with
the twilight. Unmixed light is always
the best, whether it be solar, or electric,
or from any other artificial source. The
improved electric lights will prove
great boon to students. especially to
summer students, not only on account
of their pure and steady illumination.
but because they neither heat the air
nor consume it. 1t is hard to see what
farther impruvement-excep in the
rcrv desirable matter of cheapness-is
I;Lcly to be required in the better incan-
descent lights that are now coming into
nse. The arc lights, with their wild
brilliancy. are another mat
4 Every one knows, but every one
aocs not ALWAYS bear in mind, that the
-, 60 one reads should be held steadily
.,fore the eyes in order to avoid undue
train on the muscles of accommoda-
I'm Not only this, but it is worth
rh;le to form the habit of holding the
pape so that the top u tHo P"So """ ..Ao
,oitom shall he equidistant from the
"a This NAV seem = very minute
,,.c.ntion. and such it is; Yet nothing
! trivial which tends to the better
of the delicate functions OF
Ia orcan: and the habit is one which
|. =. ess;Iv learned. Reading in the cars
: . fh;ng which one would hardly un-
,.,t.ke to defend on theory; yet it is
.r.ct;ce which is likely to increase rath-
= I. .h.n to diminish, especially with the
: smootLness Of railway travel.
~. r things to bear in mind are that the
NJ or paper should be held AS
..sa;ly As possible under the circum-
..ccs. and mat i'm the railway car
...,, -. i double reason for taking time
) think upon what one reads y